Goodness, Gracious.  If someone would have told me in 2019 what was coming ahead for the WORLD, for the Jordan Family, in my role as a Mama, and for my Miles of Smiles Photography business, I would have been like, "Wait... whaaaaaaaat?!"  

PIVOT
The word "PIVOT" has been used a lot since COVID times first started.  And I have to say... I have learned to pivot.  And pivot HARD and OFTEN in the last 1.5 years.  So much so that I think I've burned holes in my shoes from all.the.pivoting.  But I look at our journey as a family, myself as a business owner, and I look at where we are sitting right now in this beautiful mountain town in Colorado, and I am grateful in the midst of all the crazy.  

WE'RE MOVING!

That phrase has also been a theme in my life the last 1.5 years.  About a week before COVID hit and the world shut down, we announced that we would be moving to Colorado.  Then COVID hit.  We moved in June of 2020, and then we moved again in May of 2021.  So... 2 moves in less than a year has pretty much been my workouts for the last year.  :) 

Durangoans - You may have noticed the "We're Moving" sign at my Durango Miles of Smiles Photography Studio.  Over the last 10 months, I have absolutely LOVED serving Durango with Newborn, Maternity, and Family Photography in that beautiful Studio space and in our backyard in these gorgeous mountains.  But - I am changing things up when it comes to my Studio space.  (My Austin Studio is still running full time, stronger than ever, and Lauren and I are doing amazing things on the daily there.)  

Miles of Smiles Photography in Durango is MOVING... not closing.  I just want to make that loud and clear, because I have only begun my work in creating beautiful images, artwork, and memories for my clients here.  I am sad to lose the current Studio space, but I am starting to get really excited for what God and I have in store for my business and future Studio here in Durango.  For any sessions that normally have a "Studio look," I will now have a "MOBILE STUDIO" that comes to you until 2022.  Ex: Newborns (gorgeous poses, props, and accessories!), Maternity (gowns galore!), Seniors and Families... I've got you covered.  And I will obviously still be doing the outdoor sessions here in paradise.

DURANGO: Check out my ASPEN MINIS & SANTA MINIS coming up soon here.

AUSTIN: In addition to sessions that Lauren shoots (and I coordinate all other details of sessions), I'm back in Austin about 3 times a year shooting lots of sessions myself too.  Check out our AUSTIN Fall Mini-Session options and SANTA Minis here.



THE "JORDAN MONOPOLY" GAME... 
If you know us Jordans well, and you know about our real estate "side jobs" in Austin and now here in Durango, you know that we don't love paying $$$ (rent) to someone else to make them rich.  (Side note: There is nothing wrong with renting... it just isn't what we seem to do for too long.)  We like to save, invest, and OWN.  Being landlords is not the easiest thing in the world, that is for sure... but it is worth it.   

Let's go back to Fall 2020: 
About a month after I poured in tons of work, paint, and time (and with the help of my amazing parents and a few awesome friends) and opened my Durango Studio, my husband and I found a unique investment/home opportunity here and started the long, tedious, brain crunching process of buying a soon-to-be beautiful property in Durango.  It took 5 long months of back and forth, ups and downs, and roller coaster rides for that deal to be finalized.  But it's final, we're moved in, and a 2 month construction project has turned into a 5 month one that still has a few months to go.  So - we are tired but grateful.

Needless to say... things here have been a roller coaster ride the last year.  I just bought a pretty framed print the other day that says, "There are so many beautiful reasons to be happy."  I'm hanging that over my desk in my office, because it is true and such a good reminder.  (I just wish there was a little sign that went under it saying, "But there are so many beautiful reasons to be TIRED too... and Mama... that's okay."  Maybe I'll have to make one and add it.)

COMING IN 2022:
Instead of dumping $2K into my Studio rent each month here in Durango and spending $200 every time it snows here in the winter to clear the parking lot, I'm going to invest that money elsewhere, and hopefully in 2022, I'll be building out a perfect Studio space at our new property here in Durango, Colorado.  (And now instead of a knot in my stomach every time it snows so beautifully here (because I have to pay $200 to have the lot cleared every time), I'll be thinking, "I can't wait to drive 20-minutes and go SKI in that stuff!")

Change is hard.  And good.  And exhausting.  And exciting.  I'm excited for what is in store here.  And so thankful that even though I'm 1,000 miles away, my Austin Miles of Smiles Photography business, Studio, and Team are rocking and rolling, and creating beautiful things for the amazing clients we serve there.  (One day when I have time, I'll write a blog post about running a full time business and Studio from 1,000 miles away.)

Thanks for reading, thanks for your support, and please reach out and let me know if you're interested in learning more about what Miles of Smiles Photography can capture and create for your family and home.  Note - our calendars for Austin and Durango fill quickly (usually several months in advance).  

Helpful links: 
OUR GALLERIES
OUR BLOG (check out some recent sessions)
OUR TEAM

I stumbled upon this song by Kenny Chesney the other day, and it has pretty much been on repeat.  If you haven't heard it, check it out.

Beautiful World (click here to hear it)